‘Pizza Lady’ marks 30 years on the job

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August 27, 2009

BY KAYLEE HUGHES The Commercial-News Thu Aug 27, 2009, 09:10 PM CDT

DANVILLE — Most people don’t like to think about driving in lunch-hour traffic, let alone serving lunch for more than 30 years.

“It doesn’t even seem like I have been here that long,” Donna Vailes, 69, said of her job at Jocko’s Pizza Inn. “This is like my home away from home.”

For more than 30 years, Vailes has come into work every day at Jocko’s with loyalty to her customers and her job.

“She loves coming to work. Everyone loves her. She is very kind natured, sweet and caring,” said her co-worker Angie Bridgewater.

“I think it’s the same story for her as it is for all of us,” said Teresa Vance, an employee with Jocko’s since 1981. “This started out as just a job for us. We stayed for the customers. It’s a great place to work for. They are a very hands-on company. We couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”

Vailes — who now has eight grown children, 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren — recalls how she got started with Jocko’s.

“I went to school for accounting,” she said. “My sister, Sharron, got me the job here. I was only going to stay until I found an accounting job. But then I fell in love with this place. I worked double shifts for 8 years trying to support my family. I would work doubles three or four times a week. I’ve watched the company change hands from father to son. Everyone here feels like family.

“People always know me as the Pizza Inn Lady,” Vailes said with a laugh about her experience with customers. “But it feels good to be recognized. My customers are like family. I know what is going on with them and they know what is going on with me. All of us here have our off days. But your special following of customers always makes your day better.”

All of her co-workers agreed that she is welcoming, cares about her customers and they have way too many funny stories about working with her to mention.

“This is the greatest place to work for,” Vailes said. “They bend over backwards for us. I have nothing bad to say about them and I’d hope they have nothing bad to say about me!”

Owner Steve Dively had only good things to say.

"She is a complete joy to have around,” he said. “She is just like family, and I couldn’t ask for anything more from her. She is an amazing ideal employee."

When asked about retirement Vailes laughs easily.

“I find myself often saying, ‘Well this is the what it use to be like.’ I have a couple more years left in me. I’d miss my customers too much to just leave them.

“My husband, Roy, and family is always encouraging me to do what makes me happy and they know this makes me happy. They always laugh when I mention retirement.”

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